Printing-machine for code communication.



H. IVI. BALL, SII.

PRINTING MACHINE Foa com COMMUNICATION.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22, 1915.

. Patented N 0V. 14, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

H. M. BALL, SII.

PRINTING MACHINE Fox coDE COMMUNICATION.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22, |915.

Patent-ed Nov. 14, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I //Vd om m.. m

L N m 2 m .W 1., HF M w dew HENRY M. BLL, SR., 0F .DAVIESS COUNTY, KENTUCKY.

PRINTING-MACHINE FOR CODE COMMUNICATION.

Lacasse.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

Application led ictober 22, 1915-. Serial No. 57,339.

' To all w hom t may concern Be it known that I, HENRY M. BALL, Sr., a citizen of the United States, and residing in the county of Daviessand State of Kentucky, have invented a new and Improved Printing-Machine for Code Communication, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. y v

My 'invention relatesto printing machines of a kind especially adapted for printing characters used in cipher codes for the purpose of concealing the meaning of the message written, and'also in many instances for abbreviating such messages.

'More particularlyv stated my invention comprehends a printing mechanism pro-v vided with a keyboard and with .movable type-bars actuated thereby and provided j with types. The types'and keys are arranged 1n groups and sopdistrib'uted as to facilitate the printing 'of4 the ycodeJ characters in groups, the various characters `being so arranged'that their position in the group and in some instances 'the position of one group relative to other groups, may be-used for determining the meaning of the characters printed.

My invention is closely associated with and is used in connection with a book or chart in which various numbers are shown, each number being associated with a particular syllable, word, sentence, or the like, having a meaning apparently unrelated to the number. Again, the numbers may be used in different senses so as to convey different meanings according to a predetermined understanding, as hereinafter 'eX- plained. I

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like reference characters indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a top view, partly in plan and partly in section, showing one form of my printing machine; Fig. 2 is a section on the line, 2-2 'of Fig.` 1, looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation showing another form of my invention having additional type-bars; Fig. 4 is 'Fig 7 is a fragmentary elevation soma what similar to Fig. 3, but showin the type-bars as used in a slightly di erent form of my machine; and Fig. 8 is a planv view of a chart or paper sheet printed by type-bars of the kind represented in Fig. 7.

Mounted upon a board 9, is a casing 10 having -a raised portion 11. The casing is further provided with a partition 12 disposedhorizontally, and with another partition. 13 disposed vertically. A platen roller is shown at 15'; and extending through it is a shaft 16. The shaft carries a pair of hand `wheels 17, and is mounted in bearings'18, each having the form of a post, as may be understood from Fig. 2. Mounted rigidly upon the shaft 16 are a pair of ratchet wheels 19. A guide 20, made of sheet metal, is disposed adjacent the platen Y '19, and are used for turning these ratchet wheels, together with the platen roller, step by step. The shifter bars 23 are provided with collars 25, and engaging these collars are springs 26, which rest against the partition 13.

Pivotally connectedwith one end ofeach shifter bar 23, is an arm 27, which is mountedrigidly upon a shaft 28. Another arm 29 is mounted rigidly upon this shaft, and restv ing upon this arm 29, is a shifterv key 30, having, in this instance, the form of a pin, which extends through a portion of the casing 10. A spring 31 encircles the bodyof this pin and also engages a guide 32,

through which the pin also extends. VVhen-f ever the shifter key 30 is depressed the' shifter bars 23 each move to the left according to Figs. 1 and 2, so that the pawls 24 turn the ratchets 19 -a predetermined distance.

A guide plate is shown at 14, and disposed at the ends of this -guide plate are a pair of rollers 33. An ink ribbon 34 engages these rollers and is partially wound upon two spools 35 and 36. `Connected, with these spools are ratchet wheels 37, 38, and engaging these ratchet wheels are pawls 39, 40, which are pivot-ally mounted upon the shifter bars 23. Leaf springs 41, 42 carried by the shifter bars, engage bosses 43, 44 carried by the pawls 39, 40, so that by pressure of the springs 41, 42, the pawls 39, 40 tend to remain in engagement with the ratchet wheels 37 and In order to prevent more than one of the pawls from engaging its ratchet at the same time, I provide a slide rod 46, having a pair of bosses 47, 4S extending downwardly from it and engaging the pawls 39, 40, asindicated in Fig. 1. The slide rod is provided with a head 46zt and extends through bearings 45. The operator by pressing against the head 46, can cause the pawl 40 to be moved out of engagement with the ratchet l wheel 38, and by pulling upon the head 46a, the operator kcan cause the pawl 39 to move out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 37.

A 'number of keys are shown at 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 and are conveniently design-ated as a group. Another group consists of keys numbered 55, 56, 57, 5S, 59, 60. Other groups are shown at 61, 62 and 63. Each key is connected with a type-bar 64, by a iiat`n` spring 65 so bent that the type-bar is located at substantially a right langle with reference to the general direction of movement of the key. rIhe various springs 65 engage and are guided by a number of guide rods 66, so that pressure upon one of the keys causes the corresponding guide rod to be driven in the direction of its length.

The keys and type-bars are so arranged that the keys of a group, which are here siX in number, are adapted to make as many marks, upon the chart or sheet 22, as the number of keys which may be depressed at a particular instant. For instance, if two, three, or four of the keys of a groupbe depressed simultaneously, a number of marks equal to the number of keys thus depressed, will bemade upon the chart or sheet 22, and will occupy different relative positions upon this chart, such positions being arranged in substantially the same order of succession as the keys used. in making the marks. In order lthat this may be rendered clear, reference is made to Fig. 3.

The various type-bars 64 connected with and actuated by the keys 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, are provided with type-ends 49a, 50, 51, 52a, 53", 54a. These type-ends are provided with impression characters 49h, 54, which are distinguishable from each other. In this .particular instance, the impression character 49b is a stipple, and the impression character 54b is a dash. AThe relative arrangement or aggroupment of the keys, type-bars, andv impression characters carried by the typebars, is such that the depression of any key of the group causes a mark to be made uponthe sheet or chart 22, both the form of the mark and its position relative t0 the sheet or chart, and also relative to any other marks' which may be made at the same time, being such that the mark thus printed has a significance because of its position.

The keys 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, together constituting a group, are associated in the code book and in the mind of the operator, with the numbers 1, 2, 4, 8, 16," and 32. The next group of keys 55, 56, 5T, 58, 59, 60 are similarly associated with numbers` beginning with 64 and successively doubling in value as is the case ofthe numbers associated with the first group.

Suppose, now, that in the code the number l has a deinite meaning, which by aid ot' the code is readily translated into its definition. or equivalent. Manifestly, whenever the key .49 is depressed and the character representing the number 1 is printed, this character can have attached to it the significance of the numeral l given it in the code book. This is true of each other key and the number corresponding to it and associated with it in the code book. When, therefore, the printing is finished, the sheet or chart may be sent through the mail or otherwise shipped to a distance, or displayed, and it will have its intended hidden meaning.

The position of any mark or character made by the apparatus will, of course, indicate a different number in the code book, and such different number will have a different meaning. A stipple printed by the key 49 will have a different numerical meaning than a stipple printed by the key 51, and the translated meaning will be correspondingly different.

Ind it convenient to have the keys or each group so arranged that when the printing isA done upon the chart or sheet, it is read downwardly and then upwardly following the order of the keys 49, 50, 51, 52,

and 54.

In some instances, it may be desirable that instead of each separate key having a distinct numerical meaning, the various groups of keys may each have a numerical meaning to be ascertained by adding or totaling the numbers represented by the various marks printed. For instance, it may be understood between the operator and his correspondent that the latter upon receiving the chart or sheet is not to interpret the printed characters according to their individual numerical values, but rather according; to their totals. Suppose, for instance, that the person receiving the chart or sheet finds printed upon it, in its upper left-hand corner, a character made by the key 49 and ordinarily meaning the number l, and below this 51 and ordinar1y meaning the number 8.

The person receiving the chart simply adds 'I as the case may be, he asoertains the predetermined meaning intended for the number 9 and such meaning 1s the message he receives. By this arrangement, the difficulty of deciphering the code message is greatly increased, if not rendered impossible.

In Fig. 5, I show a portion of a chart or sheet 22 printed with stipples such as 50", 51. Dashes, such as 52h, 54"'. These stipples and dashes indicate, by their form, that is, whether stipples or dashes. to which row of the group they belong, there being, of course, two rows in each group. They also indicate, by their relative positions, the numerical values with which they are associated.'`

The operatorlby use of his code bok can therefore readily ascertain the meaning of the message eonveye'dby the characters as thus printed. f

In the form of the machine shown in Fig; 6, I provide for the use of additional keys in each group for the purpose of qualifying the'work of the other keys. That is to say, I add keys which di'er from other keys in the fact that they areused to vary theresults of other keys as hereinafter explained.

In this construction, I employ of keys, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75,y 76, 77, 78, ten in all, arranged as a group. A guide plate 7 9 steadies and guides the keys, and each key `is provided with a retractile spring 80. The type-bars are shown at 64, and eX- tend through a partition 8l and also through a guide plate 82, las well as through another partition 83. Except as here described, the construction and action of the various parts is the same as that above described with reference to Figs. l and 2. The type-bars 64 are encircled by springs 67, which engage collars 68 xed upon the type-bars.

The guide plate 82 is shown fragmentarily "-in Fig. 7, and supported by this guide plate are the various type-ends 69a, 70a, 71a, 72a,

73a, 74, 7 55, 7 6a, 77a, 7 8a, these various typeends being associated respectively with the keys numbered G9 to 78 inclusive. The typeends are provided with impression character-s G9", 70", 7121722 73h, 74", 75h, 7Gb, 77b and 78". It will be noted that the two up? permost impression characters 69b and 78b are dashes, which are disposed obliquely to the general direction of the two rows of type-ends. This is also the case with the impression characters 7 3?, 7 4D at the opposite end of the series. The impression characters 70h, 71h, 72b, 75h, 76", 77b alle quite analogous to those above described with reference to Fig. 3. The impression characters 69", 78h, 73", 74h, however, are in this instanceused to qualify the meanings of the other impression characters. Suppose, forinstance,`

a 'numberl @a ms that theimpression character 7Gb has, according to the code, an arbitrary meaning by which it is understood as the letter' F. If now it is used ior this purpose and the impression character Gill is used above it, the two characters thus used may have collectively not the meaning ll, but rather a meaning understood as the word Forl If instead ,of the impression character 691 being used, 'we substitute the impression character 7 3, the meaning' may be not `the word For, but the word From,

Fig. 8 shows a portion ci' a chart or sheet 84, and printed upon this sheet are a, number of intelligible characters 69, 70, 7 2c, 74, 75, 76. Comparing Fig. 8 with Fig` 7, it will be noted that the intelligible characters thus printed` are made from certain ,of the type-ends shown in Fig. 7.

telligible character shown in Fig. 8 has its meaning according to the code, and the slanting characters 69, 74, adjacent the top and bottom of the chart or siieet, are here used to qualify meanings of the other characters as above described und as recorded in the code book.

I do not limit myself te t ti. precise mech- `anism here shown as variations may be made therefrom without departing from the'spirit of myinvention.

Having thus described iny-invention., I

claim as new and desire to secure by Ilet-i ters Patent:

1. In a printing` machine for code communication, a platen roller, ratchet wheels on the shaft of the roller. a pair of ribbon carrying rollers adjacent the platen roller, ratchet wheels on the sharts of the ribbon carrying rollers, a pair et sliding and spring pressed bars, pawls carried by the said bars and engaging the ratchet wheels of the platen lroller, pireted and spring pressed pawls on the said bars and engaging .the ratchet wheels or' the ribbon carrying' rollers, a key, and means for operating the said bars from the key.

9.. In a printing machine 'tor code communication, a platen roller, ratchet wheels on the shaft of the said roller, a. pair of rile bon carrying rollers adjacent the platen roller., ratchet wheels on th shafts of the said rollers, a pair of s li and spring pressed bars, pa-wls carried by 'the bars for operating the ratchet wheels et the platen roller andthe ribbon carrying rollers, a shaft having three arms with two of which the sliding bars `are eennected, and a sliding and spring pressed key engaginglthe third arm of the said shaft.

3. In a printing machine for code communication, a platen, a plurality of sliding and spring pressed type bars, a plurality of keys arranged approximately at right angles to the type bars, aV liat and curved spring connecting said key with a type bar,

ilo

and guide rods below the springs and with which the springs engage when pressure is applied to the keys.

fl. In a. printing machine for code communication, a platen roller having ratchet teeth at its ends, a plurality of type bars, a plurality of keys for operating the type bars, ribbon carrying rollers having ratchet Wheels thereon, a pair ot' sliding and spring pressed bars carrying pawls engaging the ratchet Wheels of the platen roller and the ratchet Wheels ot' the ribbon rollers. and a key operatively connected with the. said sliding bars.

In a printing machine Jr'or code communication, a platen roller having ratchet teeth, aplurality ot' type bars, a plurality of keys for operating the type bars, ribbon carrying rollers having teeth, a pair otl slid-4 ing and spring pressed bars carrying pivo'ted pawls for engaging the ratchet wheels ot' the platen roller and ribbon rollers, a key for operating the sliding bars, and means for alternately moving the pawls of the ratchet wheels of the ribbon rollers out et engagement with the ratchet wheels.

6. In a printing machine for code communication, a platen roller, mounted on a horizontal axis and having ratchet Wheels of the ribbon rollers, and. a transverse slid ing rod having projection engaging the last named pawls.

T. In a printing machine for code communication, a platen roller, a plurality of type bars, keys for operating the type bars. ribbon rollers, sliding and spring pressed bars, a key for operating the sliding bars, means for operating the platenroller from the sliding bars, means for operating the ribbon rollers from the sliding` bars, and

means whereby the operating means ot' the ribbon carrying. rollers are alternately rendered inoperative.

HENRY M. BALL, Sie.

lVitnesses M. M. CRAvENs, M. E. CRAVENS.

Copies'of this patent may be obtaild for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

